Children from a Middlesbrough school rubbed shoulders with royalty at a special event - and got to meet their favourite authors.

Hemlington Hall Primary Academy was one of only two schools in the country invited to a garden party at Clarence House by the Duchess of Cornwall.

Four Year 5 children made the trip to London to take part, meeting Camilla as well as children’s authors such as David Walliams, Jacqueline Wilson and the children’s laureate Lauren Child.

The trip was part of a competition organised by the National Literacy Trust, in which school children chose books as part of a project to celebrate the Duchess’ 70th birthday.

Children from Hemlington Hall Primary Academy in Middlesbrough visited Clarence House, meeting Duchess of Cornwall and children's authors like David Walliams and Jacqueline Wilson (Image: Handout)

Headteacher Karen Edmenson said: “I was very proud of the children, they had a wonderful time and it was a real honour to be invited to Clarence House.

“They loved meeting the Duchess of Cornwall and being inside a royal household, and meeting the authors, but possibly their favourite moment was meeting David Walliams.

“He’s such a fantastic children’s author, and is obviously well known as a celebrity. He was wonderful with the children, and is a great ambassador

Children from Hemlington Hall Primary Academy in Middlesbrough with children's author David Walliams (Image: Handout)

“I think they also loved the adventure of being in London, travelling on the train and then on the tube. We had a wonderful time.”

The Duchess of Cornwall, who turns 70 soon, hosted a garden party at her London home to mark the milestone and celebrate a literacy competition that will see 70 book shelves, each filled with 70 books, presented to 70 schools - including Hemlington Hall.

Ten-year-olds Brooklyn Dalton, Joe Glasper, Olivia-Rose Duffy and Fallon Forrest represented their school, and their town, at the event and were joined by Mrs Edmenson and teacher Nicola Padgett.

They chose books including Gangster Granny, by David Walliams and Matilda by Roald Dahl.

The Duchess, who is an avid reader and patron of a number of literacy charities and organisations, will celebrate her 70th birthday on July 17 and was presented with a set of the 70 books for her five grandchildren.

She said: “I know most of the books backwards because I read them to my grandchildren, and we’re going to have a terrible time because they’re (going to be) fighting over these bookshelves - if I can plonk it somewhere in the middle they can come and borrow books.”